In general, about 45% of MA plans with prescription drug coverage will have overall ratings of at least four stars in 2019. Most areas of the country will have MA and Part D plans with at least four stars

Blockchain is the new hot topic in the healthcare industry as it has the potential to solve some of healthcare’s biggest problems. Organizations that hope to capitalize on blockchain’s strength should first begin by understanding the technologies that are currently in place and business functions they serve.

The legislation known as the Patient Right to Know Act and the Know the Lowest Price Act, would allow pharmacist to inform patients that they could save money on drugs by paying cash or trying a lower-cost option.

While some healthcare organizations have failed in their efforts to boost patient outcome and improve care delivery using analytics, others are leveraging analytics to make a mark on the healthcare sector

The move to value-based payment will continue to drive the need for pharmacists, as part of care teams, to provide enhanced care including personal therapy goals and outcomes. Sharing a medication-related plan of care with other care team members is critical to the successful coordination of care for complex patients.

In 2017, 69% of commercially insured patients did not fill a new Rx if there was a $250 out-of-pocket cost. The bottom line for health consumers: prescription abandonment rises as patient out-of-pocket costs at the pharmacy increase.

The company's evidence-based programs — Text4Baby, Text2Quit and Care4Life — have been used by more than 3 million people to deliver more than 400 million health-related messages through SMS text, according to Welltok's announcement of the deal

One of the key findings of the J.D. Power 2018 pharmacy ratings was that customer satisfaction scores for pharmacies rank high with other consumer-loved industries like banks, property and casualty insurance, and full service investors.

Blockchain lets the healthcare industry exchange data in a standard format, automate complex processes and apply AI against large silos of medical data. It might even allow patients to sell their data for rewards.

According to the released report, the companies charged the state of Ohio 8.8% more than they paid to pharmacies to fill prescriptions. The companies kept the more than $224 million difference between what they charged the state and paid for the drugs.

Wilkie in his testimony before the Senate committee stressed that the new Cerner system is the first step towards modernizing the agency’s appointment system, as well as automating disability and payment claims.

One industry expert says the Amazon-PillPack deal will eliminate the need for middlemen because their services are no longer required by employers and their employees. The deal could also affect advisers who only work off the commissions from the insurance carriers.